1. Field
The invention is in the field of apparatus for conditioning a path of snow on the ground for skiing and, more particularly, such apparatus for tilling and compacting said path of snow.
2. State of the Art
To condition snow runs for skiing, snow mobiling and the like, it is at times efficient and desirable to compact newly fallen fluffy snow to provide more skiable surfaces and also to prevent such snow from removal by drifting by wind action. Such ski runs often require aggressive breaking up, powdering and leveling of the snow surface, especially after use between falls of fresh snow. Often such tilling of the snow does not result in the best skiable snow condition, even with the use of following smoothing skirts and snow combs commonly included on the snow tillers. Subsequent compacting of the tilled, stirred snow is often desirable, so that both tilling devices and separate compacting devices are commonly used one after the other. Disconnecting a tiller, for example, and connecting a separate compactor, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,451, typically entails a round trip of the towing vehicle from the slope to the equipment yard. To avoid loss of time and the double expense of purchase and maintenance of two snow grooming implements, the use of combination devices has been attempted. One example is a tiller with a following snow compacting roller disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,831. This approach does not provide the option of compacting prior to tilling, as is often desirable. Nor does it compact as efficiently as do commonly used compactor devices. It also leaves no option for providing corrugated or smoothed final snow surfaces by selected grooming comb designs, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,941. One other recent attempt to solve the dual need for tilling and compacting by the same apparatus is represented by the "TILLER/COMPACTOR BAR" shown in the published flyer submitted herewith. A row of downstanding flexible plastic panels is mounted forwardly of the cutter bar. However, this device permits the snow to undesirably pile and pack into the space beneath the covering apron about and above the cutter bar, often militating against a smooth final compacted surface.
Clearly, there is need for an improved solution for converting snow tilling apparatus into compacting apparatus, for more efficient maintenance of ski slopes in desirable skiable condition.